The SmarK Rant for AEW Collision – 09.12.26

The SmarK Rant for AEW Collision – 09.12.26

“A Tribute to Andy Williams”

Live from Columbus, MA

Your hosts are Tony Schiavone, Paul Wight & Nigel McGuinness

Meanwhile, we hear from Brody King, Colt Cabana, Justin Roberts, Penelope Ford, Jeff Jarrett and Kip Sabian about their love for the Butcher.

Continental title eliminator: Jon Moxley v. Mike Bailey

Bailey takes himdown to start and they fight to a stalemate. The crowd is VERY enthusiastic tonight, which makes for a fun atmosphere already. They fight for the test of strength and Bailey takes him down with a leglock, but Moxley reverses into a cradle for one. Mox takes him down again for one and uses some SMALL JOINT MANIPULATION on the fingers and beats on Mike in the corner. Bailey flips away from him and takes him to the floor with a rana, but Jon walks away from any potential diving. Back in the ring, Mox uses the FULL BODY LIFT AND SLAM to take over for two and wraps him up in a leglock while bending him around in various uncomfortable positions. Bailey fights back with a missile dropkick and pounds him with kicks, but he misses a shooting star and Moxley tosses him to the floor because he’s had enough flipping and flopping. But then Bailey runs the knee into the stairs and beats on it with kicks before hitting a disaster kick off the apron and following with a moonsault as we take a break. Back with Mox taking him off the top with a double underhook suplex for a double down. They slug it out and Speedball keeps going after the leg with kicks, but Moxley takes him down and tries to sink in the choke. Bailey cradles for two to escape and takes him down by the leg again before hitting the moonsault kneedrop for two. Mox again reverses into the choke and tries for the armbar, but Bailey rolls him over for two. Bailey tries a backslide and Moxley puts him down with a forarm shot, but Bailey SWEEPS THE LEG on the apron and hits another moonsault kneedrop. Back in the ring, the backslide gets two. Bailey beats on him with more kicks, but Mox pops up with a cutter to pop the crowd. He wants a Death Rider, but the knee gives out due to Bailey going dead weight, so Moxley beats on him in the corner instead. Speedball comes back with a spinkick for two and goes up with a shooting star press for two. And then he transitions right into the kneebar, but Mox quickly makes the ropes. Mox tries to go up, but Bailey brings him down, so Mox hits a desperation DDT to take him down. But Bailey catches a quick one for two. Sunset flip cradle gets two. But then he’s doing SHOCKED TWO COUNT FACE, and Moxley curb stomps him in a great moment, and then hits the Death Rider to finish at 17:58. He went out there and just gave Bailey EVERYTHING and they had a great match. ****1/4

Meanwhile, Nick Wayne ponders his relationship with Jericho and how Chris is threatened by all his good looks and style, and categorially denies that his necklace makes him a douchebag. I’m with Jericho on that one.

The Rascalz v. Aaron Solo, Nick Comoroto & Griff Garrison

I’m kind of disappointed that they broke up that frat boy group Griff was in. It was stupid but had potential for good comedy. Griff gets triple-teamed in the corner, and then so does Solo, who is ironically primarily a tag wrestler. And then Comoroto comes in and the Rascalz hit him with a bunch of wacky moves and send the goofs to the floor before Reed dives onto them. And they finish Solo with the elevated moonsault at 2:00. Fun aquash but the Rascalz really feel like they’re getting lost in a sea of way better teams.

Meanwhile, we hear from Daniel Garcia, Willow and Pac about what a great human being that Andy Williams was.

Mina Shirakawa v. Queen Aminata

Mercedes joins us on commentary as they trade wristlocks, but Aminata cradles for two while Mina is dancing. Nigel: “Thekla says that wrestling Mina is like wrestling a blowup doll. Or as Tony calls it, Friday night.” This man is a menace. They slug it out and Queen wins that one and gives her the Chocolate Kisses for two, but Mina hits an awkward DDT. Mina with a slingshot splash for two and they head to the floor, where Mina this a dive as we take a break. Back with Aminata making the comeback with clotheslines and a flying kneedrop for two. Mina with the Glamorous Driver for two. Aminata headbutts her into the rope, but Mina blocks the running knee and rolls her into an armbar and then the figure-four. Aminata makes the ropes after reversing the hold and then cradles Mina on a second try for the move and pins her at 10:00. This was fine but didn’t have a lot of heat. **1/2

Meanwhile, the Death Riders are business as usual, but the Dogs want to know what’s up with Gabe Kidd and which side he’s on. But then Clark says that he comes running anytime Moxley needs something, and Jon gets all pissed off because HE DOESN’T NEED ANYTHING FROM ANYONE and puts Clark in his place and tells him to go out there and get shit down instead of crying.

Jay White v. Adam Priest

They trade takedowns to start while the Bang Bang Gang lurks around ringside being annoying, and Priest hits him with a dropkick and mocks the pew pew. So White throws chops and Preiest is happy to get into that battle, but Jay puts him down with a DDT for two. White with a bridging deathlock, but Priest makes the ropes. They trade more chops and Priest powers him into a german suplex and a neckbreaker for two. Priest continues pounding him chops and a DDT gets two. They trade cradles and White flows into the Blade Runner to finish at 5:18. Priest and his Benoit tribute act gave him a good match. ***

The Bang Bang Gang v. The Dog Riders (Pac, Gabe Kidd, Clark Connors & David Finlay)

The Riders all go after Ace Austin while Moxley joins us on commentary, but Finlay gets put in the corner instad and the BBG all take turns smashing into him. Austin with 10 shoulder presses on Finlay into a death valley driver, and we take a break.

And then my DVR craps out at this point and that’s all of the show that I get. I heard Daniel Garcia won the Butcher Battle Royale in the main event and gets to donate $100,000 to charity, so good for him. This was a pretty great show for what I got to see of it, though. Apparently AEW is going to put The House Always Wins onto MyAEW tomorrow and I don’t know if we get it in Canada but if so, I’ll probably give it a review. RIP, Butcher.